What's Open and Closed on Canada Day in Montreal: July 1, 2017

What's open and closed on Canada Day in Montreal?

Canada Day is a public holiday across the country, celebrated July 1, 2017. In turn, several businesses, commerces and offices close for the occasion, though not as many as during Quebec's Fête Nationale.

If Canada Day falls on a weekend day, then those same businesses, commerces and offices generally close on either the Friday prior (if it falls on a Saturday) or Monday after (if it falls on a Sunday).

 

The open and closed summary below sums up what to expect on Canada Day in Montreal but it isn't exhaustive enough to cover every mom & pop shop, restaurant and retail store and government branch in town. If in doubt, call the commerce, business or agency you wish to frequent directly for detailed scheduling information. And for those of you ready to celebrate, here's a list of Canada Day events and activities in Montreal.

The following are closed on Canada Day, July 1, 2017 in Montreal:

• banks
• most city of Montreal offices
• municipal court
• most provincial and federal offices
• many private sector offices
• shopping malls
• postal service delivery and Canada Post post offices, with the exception of postal service offices operating in the private sector (often found in the back of pharmacies), which can remain open at their discretion
• retail stores with the exception of bookstores, flower stores and antique shops, which can remain open if they wish

Note that since Canada Day in 2017 falls on a Saturday, these same businesses, as a general rule, close on Friday, June 30 instead of Saturday, July 1, 2017.

The following are open on Canada Day, July 1, 2017 in Montreal:

• 311, the city of Montreal's information hotline
• some dépanneurs (aka corner stores)

• stores and food outlets located in hospitals, train stations, airports, cultural centres, sports centres and tourism destinations
• some pharmacies, especially large chains, hours and staff count may be reduced
• grocery stores/supermarkets smaller than 375 square meters can open at their leisure, hours and staff count may be reduced
• bookstores, flower stores and antique shops can remain open if they want
• Old Montreal's Bonsecours Market
• Pointe-à Callière Archaeology & History Museum
• Montreal's beaches
• Parc Jean-Drapeau's attractions
• Montreal Biodome
• Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
• Montreal Botanical Gardens
• Montreal Insectarium
• Montreal Science Centre
• Montreal Planetarium
• public markets/farmers markets
• all SAQ liquor stores remain open except for those located inside shopping malls that don't have doors that open directly onto the parking lot or through a movie theatre. In other words, if you have to walk through a mall hallway to get to a given SAQ, then it's closed.
• cinemas
• Montreal Casino (hint: it's always open)
• Montreal observatory Au Sommet PVM
• service-based businesses like hair salons, restaurants, gas stations and manufacturers are free to remain open at their discretion
• some arenas, swimming pools and sports centres remain open, others don't, depending on the neighborhood, call 311 for details

• parking meters are always in operation (no freebies)
• garbage pickups and recycling generally stay on schedule with occasional exceptions; call 311 to double-check